Thill-coupling.



Patentpd Feb. 25, I902.

1:. cf BRADLEY. THILL COUPLING. (Applicatioig filed Oct. 12, 1900.)

(No Model.)

m h I PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTOPHER O. BRADLEY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.

THlLL-COUPLlNG.

694,050, dated February 25, 1902.

Application filed October 12, 1900. Serial No. 32,846. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER O. BRAD- LEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Thin-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a quick-shifting chill-coupling of the kind in which a reversible spring of loop or U shape is employed, which spring is connected at one end with the fixed jaw and at the other end with the movable jaw of the thill-coupling and which is so constructed that the movable jaw is tightened by swinging the spring to one side and released by swinging the spring to the opposite side. The operation of tightening and releasing the spring by swinging it on its pivotal point requires considerable force, since the spring is required to exert a strong pressure in order to hold the movable jaw securely closed. I

The object of my invention is to render the operation of tightening and releasing the spring easier than heretofore without reducing the pressure which the spring exerts-upon the movable jaw when the latter is closed.

This result is obtained in my invention by connecting the spring with the support on which the spring is turned by a sliding pivotal connection instead of a mere turning pivotal connection.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a thill-coupling provided with my improvement and showing the spring tightened and the movable jaw closed. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation showing the spring released. Fig. 4: is a bottom plan view of the support on which the spring turns.

' Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the spring.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the front axle of a vehicle, 13 the clip applied to the same, and O the clipplate arranged on the under side of the axle. D is the fixed jaw of the thill-coupling formed on the front leg of the clip. E is the movable jaw of the coupling, pivoted at its front end to the front end of the fixed jaw, and F is the thill-iron, provided with the usual draft pin or knuckle, which is clamped between the aws of the thill-couplin g. All of these parts may-be of any ordinary or suitable construction.

G represents the spring by which the movable jaw is tightened and' released. This spring is of U or loop shape or doubled back upon itself, so that its two ends stand one above the other. The free end g of the spring is connected with the movable jaw by an open link 1-1 or any other suitable device. As shown in the drawings, this link bears loosely upon the movable jaw, near the end thereof, so that the link can be removed from this jaw when the spring is released. The connection between the free end of the spring and the movable jaw may, however, be made in any other suitable way. The attached end of the spring is connected with the support by a sliding pivotal connection which permits the spring not only to be swung from one side to the other, but also to shift its position bodily as it is tightened or released. As shown in the drawings, this connection is made by a loop 41, which is formed lengthwise 0n the attached end of the spring and which embraces a cross pin or pivot 70, formed on the front end of the clip-plate C. When the movable jaw is closed, as shown in Fig. ,1, the spring extends rearwardly along the under side of the axle, the attaching-loop t bears against the under side of the clip-plate or other stop, which limits the tightening movement of the spring, the free end g of the spring, which is slightly shorter than the attaching end, stands forwardly of the attaching-pivot k, and the attaching-loop t' rests with its front end against the pivot is. The pressure or tension of the spring holds the parts securely in this position. Upon swinging the looped front end of the spring downwardly in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, for the purpose of opening the coupling, the spring is further strained until its free end 9, which connects with the link, has passed the dead-center, which lies in a linexlrawn through the bearing-point at the upper end of the link and the pivot 70. When this line has been passed, the spring expands,and this causes the spring to move bodily upwardly by the loop i sliding upwardly on the pivot 75 to the position represented in Fig. 3, in which the rear end of the loop rests against the pivot. This capacity of the spring to move bodily upwardly after having passed the dead-center eases the opening movement of the spring greatly and by elevating the spring enables the link to be more readily connected with or disconnected from the movable jaw.

The sliding connection between the spring and its support is most readily formed by an elongated loop formed 011 the spring and engaging with a pivotal support on the clipplate, as shown and described; but the meohanieal construction of this sliding connection may be modified in various Ways without departing from my invention.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination with the fixed and movable jaws of a thill-coupling, of a reversible tightening-spring having one end connected with said movable jaw, a support, and a sliding and pivotal connection between the opwith the movable jaw, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 10th day of October, 00.

CHRISTOPHER O. BRADLEY. WVitnesses:

G. S. BUNNELL, F. L. SOHARFF. 

